Gun with protective guard for forearm extension



' Dec. 28, 1965 J. H. SHOLDERS 3,225,481

GUN WITH PROTECTIVE GUARD FOR FOREARM EXTENSION Filed April '7, 1965 1a If 13 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,225,481 GUN WITH PROTECTIVE GUARD FOR FOREARM EXTENSION James H. Sholders, Cohawkin Road, R.F.D. 1, Paulsboro, NJ. Filed Apr. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 446,253 7 Claims. (Cl. 42-71) This invention relates generally to guns, and is especially concerned with an attachment for conventional guns to improve the safety aspects of using guns.

In many conventional gun constructions, there is provided beneath the gun barrel a forearm, often containing a magazine tube having a closure cap on its forward end. The magazine tube cap projects forwardly in spaced relation beneath the barrel so that the cap and barrel combine to provide a crevice or notch adapted to receive twigs, branches and the like. Such engagement of twigs and branches with a gun may cause unintended firing of the gun and serious accident.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an attachment for guns of the type described above which effectively prevents the catching of twigs, branches and the like between the gun barrel and magazine cap to eliminate serious consequences thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a gun attachment having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which in no way hampers or impairs normal use of a gun, but rather may serve to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the gun.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a gun attachment of the type described which is extremely simple in construction, easy to use, durable and reliable throughout a long useful life, and which can be economically manufactured for sale at a reasonable price.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing a conventional gun having operatively associated therewith an attachment constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevational view of the gun of FIGURE 1, greatly enlarged, and partly broken away to better illustrate the magazine tube closure cap;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of FIGURE 2, but with the magazine tube cap removed;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the attachment of the present invention apart from a gun;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of the attachment of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof, a gun is there generally designated 10, and may include a conventional stock 11 provided with a forwardly extending barrel 12. Extending forwardly along the rearward region of barrel 12, on the underside thereof, is a conventional forearm 13, which may contain a magazine tube 14 opening forwardly through the forward end of the forearm. It will 3,225,481 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 Ice be observed that the forearm 13 terminates at its forward end 15 considerably short of the muzzle end 16 of the barrel 12. Removably secured in closing relation with respect to the forward end of the magazine tube 14 is a closure cap 17. The cap 17 projects forwardly from the forward end 15 of the forearm 13 in spaced relation below the underside of the barrel 12. Thus, there is defined between the underside of barrel 12, upper side of closure cap 17 and forward end 15 of forearm 13 a forwardly opening crevice or notch, which is unfortunately arranged to frequently catch on branches, briars, tall grass, and the like. As thus far described, the gun 10 is conventional.

The improvement of the instant invention is a guard, generally designated 20, comprising a body 21 having a rearwardly opening recess or socket 22.

The body 21 may be integrally fabricated, as by molding, or otherwise, of suitable material, such as resiliently deflectable plastic, or the like. The rear side or face 23 of the guard body 21 is shaped for conforming engagement with the forward end surface 15 of the forearm 13, while the recess or socket 22 is configured to conformably receive the closure cap 17. If desired, the recess or socket 22 may frictionally engage over the cap 17 so as to be self-retaining in position on the cap, while being manually removable therefrom. Other suitable retaining means may be employed, if desired, say snap detents, or other.

The guard body 21 substantially completely occupies the space between barrel 12 and closure cap 17, with the upper surface 24 of the guard body specifically configured for conforming relation with the undersurface of the barrel. In practice, the upper guard body surface 24 may be transversely arcuate to define an upwardly facing cylindrical groove for conforming relation with the undersurface of an externally cylindrical barrel. Also, for additional frictional retention, the grooved upper body surface 24 may frictionally engage with the undersurface of barrel 12 when the guard body is in position on the closure cap 17.

Advantageously, the forward surface 25 of the guard body 21 declines rearwardly, defining an obtuse angle with the barrel 12. In this manner, foreign matter will be deflected downwardly away from the gun.

The external side surfaces 26 of the guard body 21 are preferably configured conformable to the side surfaces of the forearm 13 so as to extend generally flush with the later, for convenience in handling of the gun. Similarly, the lower surface or underside 27 of the guard body 21 merges smoothly with the undersurface of the forearm 13, being substantially flush with the latter.

In use, the guard 20 remains in the illustrated position of FIGURES 1 and 2 to effectively prevent the entry of foreign material between the barrel 12 and cap 17. While the upwardly facing cylindrical groove or upper surface 24 of the guard 20 may conformably engage with the underside of the barrel 12, if desired, such engagement is not essential. Even with slight spacing between the upper guard surface 21 and the barrel 12, the circular configuration of these surfaces precludes the entry therebetween of foreign objects.

Removal and replacement of the guard 20 with respect to the cap 17 may be effected instantaneously by mere manual withdrawal and reengagement.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a guard device for a gun which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for pur poses of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gun including a barrel, a forearm extending along the underside of said barrel and spaced from the muzzle end thereof, and a forward extension on the forward end of said forearm spaced below said barrel and terminating short of the muzzle end, the improvement comprising: a protective guard removably engaged over said forearm extension, said guard having its lower and side surfaces generally flush with the adjacent surfaces of said forearm and having its upper surface closely conforming to the underside of said barrel, to thereby occupy and substantially completely close the space between said extension and barrel to prevent the engagement therein of twigs and the like.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, the forward surface of said guard inclining forwardly to define an obtuse angle with said barrel.

3. The improvement according to claim 1, said barrel being of generally cylindrical external configuration, and the upper surface of said guard being generally concavely cylindrical for said close conforming relation.

4. The improvement according to claim 1, said guard having a rearwardly facing socket conformably receiving said extension.

5. The improvement according to claim 1, said guard having its upper surface conformably engaging said barrel.

6. The improvement according to claim 1, said guard frictionally engaging said extension for retention thereon.

7. For use with a gun including a barrel, a forearm extending along the underside of said barrel and spaced from the muzzle end thereof, and a forward extension on the forward end of said forearm spaced below said barrel and terminating short of the muzzle end thereof, a protective guard comprising a body having a rearwardly facing socket receiving said forward extension and having its rear side facing the forward end of said forearm, said body having its lower and side surfaces generally flush with the adjacent surfaces of said forearm, and said body having its upper surface closely conforming to the underside of said barrel, to thereby occupy and substantially completely close the space between said extension and barrel to prevent the engagement therein of twigs and the like.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A GUN INCLUDING A BARREL, A FOREARM EXTENDING ALONG THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID BARREL AND SPACED FROM THE MUZZLE END THEREOF, AND A FORWARD EXTENSION ON THE FORWARD END OF SID FOREARM SPACED BELOW SAID BARREL AND TERMINATING SHORT OF THE MUZZLE END, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A PROTECTIVE GUARD REMOVABLY ENGAGED OVER SAID FOREARM EXTENSION, SAID GUARD HAVING ITS LOWER AND SIDE SURFACES GENERALLY FLUSH WITH THE ADJACENT SURFACES OF SAID FOREARM AND HAVING ITS UPPER SURFACE CLOSELY CONFORMING TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SID BARREL, TO THEREBY OCCUPY AND SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY CLOSE THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID EXTENSION AND BARREL TO PREVENT THE ENGAGEMENT THEREIN OF TWIGS AND THE LIKE. 